Vertical gas-fired kiln, furnace, or the like



April 23, 1940. PREST 2,197,985

VERTICAL GAS-FIRED KILN, FURNACE, OR THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1939 ,k V I I "3 V 5 lzyz Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES VERTICAL GAS-FIRED KILN, FURNACE, OR THE LIKE Charles Frederick Priest, Middlesbrough, England Application March 25, 1939, Serial No. 264,274 I In Great Britain April 1, 1938 4 Claims. (Cl. 263-29) This invention relates; to vertical gas-fired kilns, furnaces, or the like, hereinafter referred to as kilns, of the type wherein gas burners are disposed around the kiln and project through 5 the walls thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide improvements in kilns of the type described.

It has been found in kilns of the type described that when burnersare circumferentially' l0 spaced around the kiln at comparatively short intervals and gas is being supplied to all the burners simultaneously, air being drawn up the kiln from inlets at the bottom thereof,"the burden is not evenly burnt or heated throughout the cross-sectional area of the kiln. Owing to the burners being comparatively close together the gas projected therefrom simultaneously into the kiln forms a more or less continuous annular belt in the burden, and, as the air is suction drawn through the kiln, the said air takes the easiest course and passes directly up the centre of the kiln. The result is that either the core of the burden is burnt or heated whilst the outer portion is not, or an annular portion is burnt or heated where the air meets the tipsof the gas streams and the core and the outside of the burden is not. It is not desirable to increase the spacing of the burners as in that case there will be alternate vertical strips round the kiln of burnt and unburnt material.

According to this invention the burners are arranged in two or more series, the burners of one series alternating with those of the other series, gas being supplied to each series in turn.

One form of apparatus according to this invention, as applied to a kiln, is illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing,

wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation; and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View. Burners a, b are arranged in two series so that the burners a of one series alternate with the burners b of the other series round the kiln c. The burners a in one series are all connected, outside the kiln c, by branches is to a pipe belt d, whilst the burners b in the other series are similarly connected by branches m to another pipe belt e. Both pipe belts d, e are connected to a gas reversing valve f, by pipes g, h, respectively, said valve 7 beingalso connected by a pipe 2' to the gas source.

In operation, the gas reversing valve 1 is operated to supply gas to the pipe belt (1 and thereby to the series of burners a, the gas supply to, the other pipe belt 6 and the series of burners I) being shutoff. At suitable intervals of time this operation is reversed, by operating the valve I, so that gas is only supplied to the gas belt 6 and the series of burners I), this reversal being repeated at suitable intervals.

It will be found that by operating in the manner described vertical strips will be obtained around the burden into which no gas is being projected. Consequently, the air will be drawn up saidv strips and will make contact with the sides of each of the adjacent streams of gas being projected from the burners in use. Furthermore, the central core of air will not be sufficient to prevent penetration of the gas streams to the centre of the burden. When the operation is reversed to supply gas to another series of burners the vertical strips up which the air is drawn will be disposed further round the kiln and the same action is obtained. Thereby, the whole of the burden is evenly heated or burnt. It is also found that the burden is alternately burnt or heated and cooled in alternate vertical strips, and this causes the burden to leave the sides of the kiln very easily and thus create an even flow. of the burden down the kiln.

If desired, the branch pipes k which connect the gas burners a to their associated pipe belt :1 may each be provided with a valve 11., the branch pipes m being each similarly provided with a valve p.

The burners b in oneseries may be disposed at a higher level than the burners a in the other series, as illustrated, so that each burner is staggered in elevation in relation to the circumferentially adjacent burners.

' For convenience of illustration, the ring formed by the pipe belt d is shown having a larger diameter than the ring formed by thepipe belt e. In practice, however, it may be preferable for both pipe belts to be of the same diameter;

As the views illustrated are diagrammatic no attempt has been made to show the burners and other members in detail, for example, the usual cooling apparatusand other detail construction of the burners are not illustrated.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vertical, gas-fired kiln, furnace, or the like, of the type described, characterised in that the burners are arranged in a plurality of series, the burners of one series alternating with those of the other series, gas being supplied to each series in turn.

2. In a vertical gas-fired, kiln, furnace, or the i like, according to claim 1, two pipe belts both 4. In a vertical gas-fired kiln, furnace, or the like as set forth in claim 1, each series of burners being disposed in a horizontal plane difierent from the remaining series, two pipe belts both disposed externally around the kiln, a gas reversing valve, and means for supplying gas to the gas reversing valve, the burners of one series being connected to one of the said pipe belts, the burners of the other series being connected to the other of the said pipe belts, and the two said pipe belts being connected to the said 10 gas reversing valve.

CHARLES FREDERICK PRIEST. 

